B olstered by his chat with Richard, Luke had been flying high for days. There had been nothing in Richard’s voice to hint that he was being dishonest about his relationship with Douglas. But that hadn’t stopped Luke from keeping a close eye on the pair since his coffee and snacks with Richard.

His need to reassure himself that Richard wasn’t dating or soulmates with Douglas was confirmation that he’d developed intense feelings for his boss. Luke wasn’t sure what to do about it or whether it was necessary to fight it. Supposedly, his time at the Marwood resort wasn’t permanent.

And crushes didn’t last, did they? It was Luke’s first experience in such a predicament, but he was pretty sure common knowledge dictated that feelings were either acted on or they faded. While Luke had stayed in a town long enough to fuck his share of random guys, he’d given none of them a single thought afterward.

He doubted any of his partners bothered to remember him either. He’d always had anonymous sex, and he’d preferred it that way. But he privately wondered, if he was presented with an opportunity to touch Richard, would he be content with a single romp? Dangerous thoughts to ponder if Luke was being honest. Thankfully, no one could read his mind, so he allowed his daydreams to grow unchecked once again.

Something changed in the air the minute Richard stalked into a space. Luke couldn’t be the only person who noticed how Richard commanded a room. Or that he pursed his lips slightly when he was deep in thought. If someone droned on too long about anything, Richard’s gaze would flick to a nearby clock, but he otherwise didn’t alert anyone to his desire to wrap things up swiftly.

When Richard chose pants with tiny pockets, he’d curse under his breath during the day whenever he tried to find a spot to carry his phone. Frankly, Luke liked those days because tiny pocket pants were guaranteed to be snug enough to show off his rounded butt to perfection. Thanks to the night in the club, Luke could easily imagine Richard moving that ass rhythmically to the beat of any song.

His hip gyrations had found their way to Luke’s subconscious, and he’d dreamed often of Richard’s body moving like that beneath him in bed.

“Lucas?”

He was snapped out of his inappropriate thoughts by the man he’d mentally undressed countless times. Heat rushed to Luke’s face. “Uh, yeah? Sorry, I was lost in thought.”

Richard leaned closer to where Luke sat at his desk, and his fruity scent teased Luke’s senses.

The man even smells delicious.

“Everything okay?” Richard asked softly.

“Yeah, I don’t remember what I was so focused on,” Luke lied.

“My mother is making me measure out where the food tables are going for the third time, do you mind helping me?”

Luke stood immediately. “Sure, I’ll help.”

“Thanks, my father literally gave her blueprints, but that’s not enough to satisfy her,” Richard explained as they left the office. “If I’d known she was going to be this obsessive about every detail, I would’ve talked Gabriel and Eric into eloping.”

“At least it’ll be over soon?”

“The day is going to be beautiful, and I’m looking forward to it, but I might not survive next week.”

“Too bad you can’t lie about a work emergency and come to the office every day instead of staying home to help.”

“Right?” Richard asked with a roll of his eyes and a shake of his head. “I’m never getting married.”

“Never?”

Their eyes met, and something shifted in Richard’s blue gaze. He lifted his chin. “No, I have zero intention of marrying.”

“What if your significant other wants to get married?”

They passed through the door into the ballroom, and Richard handed the tape measure to Luke after plucking the edge of it from the container. He stalked away to measure one wall.

“I don’t have a significant other,” Richard remarked. It was wild how Luke reacted with intense joy at Richard’s words. While Luke had hoped Richard was single, he had confirmation now.

Oh, how I wish I could be the man in Richard’s life.

Was Richard gay? Would he be interested in someone like Luke? Such dangerous thoughts were hazardous to Luke’s heart, but he couldn’t help it.

“Me either, but someday I hope to, and I want their input on important decisions.”

Richard huffed impatiently. “Fine, if I ever have a significant other and they somehow convince me to get married—which I repeat is highly unlikely—you get to remind me not to involve my mother or I’ll find myself re-measuring tables countless times to keep her happy.”

“Would she make you do that for your own wedding?”

“Do you honestly think I want to find out?”

The door to the ballroom opened, and Douglas rushed in.

“There you are, Richard,” the inspirit said. “I called Rosalind to ask her if she wanted to come over to verify the table layout with me, but she said you were already taking care of it.”

“Shit, did she call you about it too?” Richard asked. “Snap a picture of Lucas and I with the tape measure out so she can see the length for herself.”

Douglas plucked his phone out and did as he was told. “I called her. There are so many details, I don’t want anything to be missed. This is an event for your family, it needs to be perfect.”

“It will be,” Richard assured the inspirit. “Don’t worry so much about table layouts and stuff. My mom has blueprints. I’ve put together a color-coded chart for her, complete with accurate measurements. As soon as the table assignments are done, she’ll have my meticulous map with a corresponding spreadsheet too. I’ll be here with her during setup, probably driving everyone up the wall. Nothing will go wrong, okay?”

“I’ll rest easier once everything is in place and Rosalind is happy with it. Should I take a picture of Lucas holding the measuring tape for Rosalind?”

“Sure, Douglas, go ahead,” Richard replied.

“Should we go row by row and send her pictures of where every table will be?” Douglas asked as he snapped a shot of Luke’s hands.

“No, she doesn’t need that. Why don’t you head home? It’s Friday and nearly closing time. Lucas and I will lock up. Go home and don’t think about the word wedding , okay?”

“Yeah, okay. If Rosalind needs anything else, let me know.”

“Of course,” Richard told the inspirit as he scurried out. “Is my mother winding him up, or is she humoring him because he keeps texting or calling her to double-check things?”

“I guess measurements are the detail he’s hyperfixated on.”

“For now,” Richard replied. “I fear the wedding will push him to the limit. But we should seriously lock up and head home.”

Luke nodded and handed Richard his tape measure. “Sounds like a good plan.”

“How’s your friend Foxe doing?”

“He’ll probably have a great night because it’s payday.”

“No improvement in that respect, huh?”

Falling in step beside Richard, Luke shrugged. “He didn’t ask for anything extra, so that’s good, I suppose. But it’s been nearly three months, and he doesn’t take my calls. He only answers my texts on paydays.”

“I know nothing about your relationship, but I’m still sorry.”

“Thanks, but I’ll worry about it after our office survives this wedding.”

“Don’t be surprised if I cry on your shoulder at the damn thing in relief that it’s over.”

Luke laughed. “I can’t believe your parents invited every inspirit.”

“You’re family to them. To all of us.”

Their gazes collided, and Luke wished he was a hell of a lot more than another stray the Marwood family had picked up. What he wanted was to be important to Richard. But that was out of the question. He’d give himself another couple of weeks to delve into fantasy, then Luke would have to face some hard truths about his life. His heart would ache, but he’d recover.

He wasn’t destined to be with Richard Marwood. And Foxe may have abandoned him. So, where did that leave Luke, and what was his future?

???

By ten on Monday morning, Luke had privately acknowledged that it’d be a long week. The gorgeous Richard was out of the office because of the upcoming Wolfebrier-Marwood wedding, and his presence normally energized everyone—or at least Luke was happier when the necromancer was around.

Douglas was also frazzled. The schedule of events was light so the Marwoods could focus on their family, but that didn’t stop the co-director from calling an hour-long meeting to go through each thing on the schedule. Luke noted the way the other inspirits and humans exchanged annoyed but patient looks.

They liked Douglas enough that no one would complain much. Or at least not yet. Luke hoped their entire staff would remain tolerant until Richard returned the following week. As for Luke, he understood Douglas had a gift that could also be a curse. His own was similar.

He’d been granted the ability to sense the destiny-touched. Foxe had taught him to run from them, but now that Luke had stayed, he wondered about the fairness of Foxe’s instructions. From what Luke had been taught, people like Eric were rare. Luke had proof of that too; he’d sensed a mere two destiny-touched in ten years.

Shouldn’t it be the responsibility of every necromancer and inspirit to protect the Erics of the world instead of fleeing? No one was going to punish Luke for being different, but Eric could pay with his life if he encountered the wrong person. Or was Luke searching for any excuse to stay near the Marwoods when he knew Foxe wouldn’t approve?

Luke’s cellphone rang, and he grinned as Richard’s name flashed on the screen.

“Hello?”

“Lucas, I need your help.”

The urgency in Richard’s voice caught Luke off guard, and he had to force himself to relax. Although Richard needed something, it wasn’t for Luke to run to the Marwood mansion and taste every inch of the gorgeous necromancer.

“What’s up?” Luke asked.

“I know this isn’t part of your job, but I can’t get ahold of my assistant. Would you mind going into my office and looking to see if I left a USB stick on my desk? It has the final table assignments, and I swore I put in my bag on Friday afternoon, but I can’t find the fucking thing, and if I hear my mother ask me why I didn’t email the information to myself one more time I might throw a crystal into the ocean to teleport myself there.”

Luke chuckled as he stood. “Douglas dragged your assistant to the conference room to ensure everything is perfect for the realtor event today.”

“That is a simple thing. They aren’t even having lunch on site. Okay, Douglas is in charge, I can’t examine his every decision. My door shouldn’t be locked. Gabriel secures the outer office doors, and no one will cross him.”

“That’s because he never smiles and everyone is afraid of him,” Luke replied. “Well, unless your brother is around. Gabe grinned so much that night at the club that his face probably hurt for a few days.”

Richard laughed. “Are you in my office yet? Did you find it?”

“Settle down, I’m turning the doorknob.”

“I don’t think you understand. I’m literally hiding in a bathroom right now. My mother is going to find me any minute.”

After pushing the door inward, he flipped on the lights, and his gaze was drawn immediately to a USB stick resting crookedly on Richard’s otherwise pristine desk. “It’s here,” Luke said. “Must’ve fallen out of your bag.”

“Of course it did because that’s how my luck often works. Go to your desk and download the files so you can email them to me.”

“A please would be nice,” Luke teased.

“Please? I’ll buy you more cookies, I promise.”

“With an iced coffee?”

“Two if you’re nice.”

“When?” Luke asked as he shut Richard’s office door, then strode back to his own work area to do as Richard requested.

“Tables and chairs will be delivered on Thursday morning to the ballroom. We’ll find a way to sneak off, I promise.”

“As long as your mother doesn’t find out so I don’t get fired.”

“I’m not sure whether I should be insulted. How is she scarier than me?”

“You may be more bark than bite, Richard.”

Richard gasped indignantly. “If I was there, I’d— fuck , she found me. If you want cookies and coffee, send me the files as soon as you can. I have to go. Save yourself, Lucas.”

The necromancer disconnected, and Luke chuckled. He’d been enjoying his conversation with Richard and wanted to know how he would’ve answered if Rosalind hadn’t interrupted them. Luke shouldn’t be so casual with his boss, but Richard was easy to talk to, and it relaxed him enough that he forgot about their work titles.

That was inappropriate, but Luke refused to think about any ramifications. His focus was on giving Richard what he needed, and he couldn’t wait to see him again on Thursday.